QMI Agency

After witnessing his pre-camp fitness first hand, Eakins said the Leafs’ former first pick needs better eating habits if he is to perform at his peak – comments that saw Cherry take to Twitter on Tuesday in disgust.

“I have never in my life seen a kid treated like Nazem Kadri by the Leafs,” Cherry’s official Twitter account read. “It started in his first training camp where he led the team in scoring but was blasted for his defensive faults.

"They don't blast Kulemin who scored 7 goals. They give him 5 million dollars. Now the Marlie coach comes out and rips Kadri in the newspaper saying he doesn't eat properly. Imagine headlines saying he's chubby and fatso.

"If anyone wants to get a blue print on how to destroy someone, just follow the Toronto Maple Leafs"

The coach, who demands extreme fitness from his players, said Kadri was in the lower five per cent of players in camp in terms of overall body fat.

-- With files from Rob Longley

I have never in my life seen a kid treated like Nazem Kadri by the Leafs. It started in his first training camp where he led the team in..